Scarbee forced to stop using 'Rhodes" name

[Pantsdown666]

Just edited thread title now that info is a little clearer

[loachm]

I hope Scarbee will have a chance to sort this out with the copyright holder - the RSP is my main instrument

[Ben [Camel Audio]]

I feel really sorry for Thomas. I can understand that in some cases trademark holders wish to uphold their trademarks - but given that there are loads of products out there with 'Rhodes' presets, it leads people to believe that they're not going to be rigorously upheld. To suddenly go after a company in this way with no warning seems rather unkind. What next - everyone who's made a synth with a 'Moog' preset getting a cease and desist

Ben

[cptgone]

this is ridiculous. hang the lawyers, hang the lawyers, hang the lawyers...

[Muff Wiggler]

it is insane......i really feel for Thomas. I absolutely ADORE my VKC, and the RSP is the best part of it. Very happy I bought it when I could, this is such sad news

[Muff Wiggler]

woah....looks like it may still be available, under a new, less rhodes-like name....here's hoping!

[griels]

The Rhodes is dead... Long live the Hot Rodded Wonderful Electric Piano

But boy was I glad I'd already shelled out for the KGB when I saw yesterday's announcement

[puffer]

It does seem to me that Scarb could just reprint the samples dropping any reference and still publish them. There's no way Rhodes has the pockets to go after every minor/major company that has a set of Rhodes samples. Or maybe the they do? Either way, it sucks for them because they have to eat a lot of copies and we sample nerds like to know what we're hearing.

But it is an awful gray area. I agree, too many damn lawyers.

[Bassballjg]

Because the Rhodes is an electromechanical instrument, it should be perfectly legal to sample it. This probably is just a trademark hassle, and the samples themselves should return to the market renamed. It will, however, be intersting to see how far the new Rhodes company will go in its zeal to protect the name, seeing how widely sampled the instrument is.

[hollowsun]

This probably is just a trademark hassle

Yep. I gather the Rhodes estate is pretty hot on use/abuse of the trademark and I heard it was after some animosity with Roland when they bought/licenced the name for their Rhodes products - Rhodes was (apparently) very unhappy with the result and (apparently) vowed that the name should never be used on anything other than a genuine Rhodes product.

I guess they haven't been that bothered but if, as has been said, a new Rhodes is due on the market, I guess they may well be clamping down on sample libraries that use the Rhodes name... and that could include all the freebies.

I don't know what the situation is if the spelling is changed (i.e. 'Roads'). Technically, there shouldn't be a problem but who knows in these silly litigious days

I find it ironic that sample library developers have kept the fire burning for these old discontinued classics and have almost created a market for 'the real thing' but are now being crapped on - you'd think some leeway could be shown or a mutually beneficial understanding reached.

As for other trademarks (Moog, etc.), I guess much will rest on the discretion of each manufacturer - most are fairly pragamatic (sensible?!) realising that a few samples are not going to damage their business one bit (and if anything can actually promote their product(s)); others (Roland for example) will be on you like a ton of hot shit if they even suspect the slightest whiff of trademark/copyright contravention.

It's all so damned stupid. And don't forget, factored into the price of the litigious manufacturers' products will be the cost of keeping a team of legal eagles scouring the net for pitiful contraventions that would damage their sales/reputation not one jot

Steve

[Pantsdown666]

I find it ironic that sample library developers have kept the fire burning for these old discontinued classics and have almost created a market for 'the real thing' but are now being crapped on - you'd think some leeway could be shown or a mutually beneficial understanding reached.

That's exactly it. I've never actually touched a real Rhodes, and my desire for one is fuelled by the emulations I've played and bought.
These guys stopped making them, and YEARS into the resurgence of the instrument's popularity, here they are set to cream some cash off the top of the demand created by the developers they're threatening.

[lfm]

These guys stopped making them, and YEARS into the resurgence of the instrument's popularity, here they are set to cream some cash off the top of the demand created by the developers they're threatening.

It's probably because the new generation will likely be electronic stuff, possibly based on a rompler type of keyboard.

I don't think anybody wishes to carry these vintage bastards, night after night on tour.

The modern keyboards are just a fraction in weight.

So what have they got, but the old trademark name to build this market on.

[ozinexile]

I find it ironic that sample library developers have kept the fire burning for these old discontinued classics and have almost created a market for 'the real thing' but are now being crapped on - you'd think some leeway could be shown or a mutually beneficial understanding reached.

Personally I think an opportunity was missed by trying to stop encroachment on the Rhodes trademark. A collaboration to produce the ultimate Rhodes VSTi could have been a possibility. Thomas has shown his ability in sampling electic pianos to the highest degree. Supply him with additional Rhodes models to sample and the exclusive right to the name (for the virtual world) and he corp that owns the Rhodes TM have another revenue stream. A similar thing is happening with Garritan and Steinway & Sons, so it's not without precedent.

Then again I suppose it would be difficult to propose an idea like this to a company that were threatening to sue you .

[BertKoor]

and I am going to be the first person to sell my old rhodes and wurlitzer to buy a new one

You're stupid allright

[foosnark]

Half the DX7 presets on the web need to have their names changed too...